Underreamer



gmc/Mw www June 4, 1946. M. G. scHUTTE ET Ar.

' UNDERBEAMER Filed May 25, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented June 4, 1946NOFFICE UNDERREAMER Myles G. Schutte and Norman L.

i Houston, Tex.' i i Schutte,

` Y Application May 25, 1944, Serial No. 537,296

This invention relates to. an underreamer.

` An object of the invention is to provide a tool forr'enlarging thelower endsof holes in the earth for receiving concrete in foundationwork.

another object of the invention is to provide an underreamer which ,maybe lowered in a previously formed hole and which is provided withreaming blades that will be gradually expanded as the tool is rotatedand will gradually enlarge', or underream; the ybore hole.

It isi a further object 'of the invention to provide an underreamer thatwill receive and retain the loose earth, delivered thereto by thereaming blades, and which may be withdrawn from the bore with the tool.

With the above and other objects in view the invention has particularrelation to certain novel features of construction, operation andarrangement of parts, an example of which is given in this specicationand illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 shows aside view of the tool with the reaming blades collapsed.

Figure 2 shows a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 ofFigure l.

Figure 3 shows a cross sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows an elevational view, partly in section, showing thereamer blades expanded.

Figure 5 shows a top plan view showing the driving shaft in section withthe reamer blades expanded, and

Figure 6 shows a bottom end view.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like numerals freference designatev the same parts in each of the figures the numeralsI, I, designate the vertical side plates which are spaced the requireddistance apart.

Secured to the lower ends of these side plates there is the circularlower end plate 2 which has the elongated inlet openings 3, 3therethrough with the depending Scrapers 4, ll formed integrally withsaid plate behind the slots 3 and pitched forwardly so that the looseearth on the bottom of the bore will be forced through the slots 3 asthe underreamer is turned.

The plates I have the diagonal slots 5, therethrough at substantiallyright angles to each other as indicated in Figure 4. Around these slotsthe material of the plates I is thickened as shown more clearly inFigure 2 to provide wider bearing surfaces,

Over the upper ends of the plates I and spaced therefrom there is a hood6 in the shape of a hollow cylinder Vclosed at its upper end by an upperend plate '6' to which said plates are secured.

The upper `ends of the plates I have the vertical slots 1, l. Extendingthrough the slots "I there is the rod 8 which is retained againstdisplacement by means of the cotter keys 9, 9.

` The lower ends of the side plates I may be welded to thelowerend plate2 and their upper ends may be welded to the top and sides of theVhoodIi.

Workingagainst the inner sides of the plates I are the reamer blades l0,I0.

These blades I0 have transverse circular openings through their upperend `forming bearings through which the rod 8 extends and extendedthrough the slots 5 and through circular openings the correspondingblades I0 are the bolts II which have enlarged outer end heads and nutsscrewed on their inner ends.

Rotatably mounted on the bolts I I are the antifriction roller sleevesI2 which run in the slots 5 as indicated in Figure 2.

The upper end plate 6 of the hood B has a rectangular opening I3therethrough, forming a bearing through which there is extendedl atubular coupling member I4 which is rectangular in horizontal crosssection. This coupling ts snugly through the bearing I3 and welded tothe top of the hood on opposite sides of the coupling are the transversebars I5, I5 provided for additional strength. v

The lower end of thev coupling I4 has a transverse opening forming abearing through which the rod 8 extends, as shown in Figures 2 and 3 andtted on said rod between the blades IU and the coupling I 4 are thespacers I6, IB one on each side.

A driving shaft I'I may be inserted into the coupling I4 and securedtherein by the cross pin I8 and by means of which the underreamer may beturned.

It will be noted that the reaming blades are ilared downwardly and havethe forwardly curved portions I9, I9 which terminate in cutting edges.

The tool may be lowered into the hole to be underreamed and as loweredthe cross rod 8 will be at the upper ends of the slots 'I and the boltsII will be at the upper ends of the slots 5 and the rear-ning bladeswill be retracted. When the underreamer lands on bottom the pilot 2Dwill penetrate into the earth and hold the tool centered. The tool isnow rotated and the weight from above will gradually force the reamingblades outwardly and the lower end of the bore hole will be graduallyenlarged, the cuttings be- 3 ing forced inwardly by the forwardly curvedportions I9 onto the bottom end plate 2 and when the underreamer iswithdrawn from the bore the cuttings will be withdrawn with it to theground surface.

The hood 6 will t rather snugly in the bore thus steadying the tool inoperation. As the tool is lowered the air beneath the hood may readilyescape through the openings 2|.

The side plates I, I may be reinforced, within the hood 6, by the crossplates 22, 22 which may be welded thereto as shown in Figure 3.

What we claim is:

1. A reamer for enlarging the lower ends of y earth bores, comprisingspaced side plates having opposed vertical slots adjacent theirupperends Y and opposed diagonal slots beneath the vertical slots andarranged at substantially right angles to g each other, a lower endplate disposed at substantially right angles to the sideV plates andlixed to the lower ends thereofa plate xed to the upper ends of the sideplates and disposed at substantially right angles thereto and having apolygonal opening forming a bearing,'a polygonal driving member slidablyfitted through saidbearing, a rod extending transversely through thedriving member and whose endswork in the respective vertical slots,reamer blades adjacent the inner sides of the respective side plates andwhich are ared downwardly and whose forward 4 margins are formed intoforwardly curved cutting edges and whose upper ends are pivoted on saidrod, means attached to the reamer blades and working through saiddiagonal'slots whereby the lower ends of the blades are caused to moveoutwardly upon downward movement of the blades, relative to the sideplates, and are caused l to move inwardly upon upward movement of theblades, relative to the side plates. l

2. A reamer comprising an earth retainer composed of two spaced verticalsiderplates having vertical slots adjacent their upper ends and havingdiagonal slots beneath the vertical slots and a lower end plate securedto the lower ends of the side plates, an upper end plate secured to theupper ends of the side plates and having a polygonal openingtherethrough, a rod extending through the upper end slots of the sideplates, a driving member slidably tted through the opening in the upperend plates, said rod extending through said driving memberwhereby thetool may be rotated, reaming blades whose upper .ends are pivotallyconnected to ,the rod, means connected to said blades and workingthrough said diagonal slots whereby the lower ends of the blades will bemoved laterally as the t0v the blades are moved longitudinally relativeside plates. I

' MYLES G. SCHUTTE.

NORMAN L. SCHUTTE.

